What you need to know before selling in United Kingdom?
Today United Kingdom's B2C e-commerce market is worth €2.16316 trillion. Growth, however, is steady and is set to continue at an annual growth rate of around 2%.
Per capita the average annual online spend in United Kingdom is €3,344. The UK e-commerce market continues to be one of high growth, innovation and dynamism. However, an uncertain economic environment is definitely holding the sector back from even greater success. There is absolutely no doubt that Brexit will have a major impact on the UK export market and domestic consumer confidence. Combine that with the impact of the 2020 global pandemic, the UK, like most European markets is likely to see some additional challenges to growth in 2021 and beyond.
United Kingdom’s top ecommerce sites are:
- 1. Amazon.com
- 2. Ebay.com
- 3. Argos
Cross-border spending in United Kingdom is growing, international e-commerce now accounts for 6% of total ecommerce spend in United Kingdom. When British buyers choose to buy cross-border they tend to seek products from major markets like China, the US and Germany. The main driver for buying outside of United Kingdom tends to be price and the availability/uniqueness of the product.
How to list for free on Google Shopping United Kingdom?
In 2020 Google transitioned their Google Shopping Ads platform from a mainly paid service to a global ecommerce ecosystem that enables any merchant to sell their products anywhere for free.
It’s now free to list on Google Shopping in the US, the UK, EU, Asia and Latin American markets. By selling internationally in markets such as United Kingdom, merchants not only open up their business to more buyers than ever before, but it also enables them to move away and ahead of their domestic competition.
We compared the Google Shopping traffic of several merchants; after the US launch of free visibility in April 2020 and then, after the international launch in October 2020:
- In the US, merchants saw a massive influx of free clicks growing to 10%-25% of total clicks.
- After October global launch, merchants could see their unpaid clicks quickly grow to 8-15% of total clicks in less than a month.
- Learn more about the impact of free listings on international Google Shopping.
How do I qualify for free Google Shopping in United Kingdom?
Whilst it is now free to list items, there are still criteria that needs to be met in order for merchants to qualify, and just like paid ads if they do not meet 100% of the requirements then they will not be eligible to be shown in the shopping tab.
To qualify for the free Google Shopping Ads in United Kingdom, you need to first create a British feed and then opt into their program. To do this you need to localise your website and your listings for the British market, to ensure that you meet the criteria set by Google to sell onto the British market.
To set up your British feed, you will need to:
- Translate and localize your landing page and product details so they meet Google’s British requirements.
- Convert product currencies into British Pound (GBP) and make sure your checkout accepts British Pound (GBP) payments.
- Enable international shipping through a global carrier. International shipping prices for the British market will have to be included in your British product feed. See more details.
- If your British product pages are hosted on a separated domain, you’ll need to setup a multi-client account that will allow you to submit data feeds for multiple domains. Each client may have a distinct store name and URL. When you request a multi-client account, your current Google Merchant Center account will become a sub-account in your new multi-client account. See more details.
- Once your website is fully localised, upload your product feed for the British market to your Merchant Center.
Why do you need to localize product ads?
Localization is extremely important for cross-border trade. Not only does it ensure your international listings get traffic but that your store can start to convert international buyers at the checkout. They expect a shopping experience similar to if they were to shop domestically, and providing them with a localized experience leads to an increased checkout conversion.
You’ll need to adapt your listings and store to the British market. This includes product descriptions in Englsh, correct local sizes, prices in British Pound (GBP) and with common British methods of payment.
Adopting your feed, listings and store for the British market will not only dramatically increase your international transactions, but also increase the average transaction value. Learn more about Glopal’s free product ads localisation solution.
Don’t have a British store?
If you don’t have a British store you can still benefit from Google Shopping Ads, but you will need to address the following:
Language: Englsh version. Your store must have a British version and your product feed that you submit to the merchant center for Google Shopping Ads should also point to the British version.
Currency: The prices in your product feed must be in British Pound (GBP).
Prices: Your landing pages, product pages and checkout must show the same currency that you use in the feed. For example, if you submit a feed with British Pound (GBP) then all the prices on your site must also be in British Pound (GBP).
Shipping: All shipping prices must also be in British Pound (GBP).
Taxes: Where possible include local duties and taxes to ensure smooth and quick delivery of your products to United Kingdom.
Legal: Ensure your site is fully compliant with Local British ecommerce Terms of Service and Returns policies.
Checkout: You’ll need to have a checkout that can process payment in British Pound (GBP).
Find out how to automate the store localization process with our translation plug & play solution.
United Kingdom at a glance-1.png?width=300&name=imgpsh_fullsize_anim%20(5)-1.png)
